


To Those Who Came Before

by nonbinary_renfri



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Angst, BTS in the Avatar universe, Bending (Avatar), Blood and Violence, Bullying, Character Death, Everything Changed When The Fire Nation Attacked, Friendship, Homophobic Language, Hurt/Comfort, Inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender, M/M, Pre-Canon, Slow Burn, Tragedy, Xenophobia, interwoven into canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:41:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25455628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonbinary_renfri/pseuds/nonbinary_renfri
Summary: The Avatar vanished for 100 years, leaving the Fire Nation to ravage the world in his absence. He would return eventually to end their rampage across the nations, but much of the world would suffer in the meantime. Some people went quietly. Some did not. Aang did not begin the history of rebellion against the Fire Nation's tyranny, though he did end it. This is the story of some of those who stood up and fought.
Relationships: Kim Namjoon | RM/Kim Seokjin | Jin, Min Yoongi | Suga/Park Jimin
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	To Those Who Came Before

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story I've had sitting in my drafts for a while and I thought, with all the focus on A:TLA right now, I might as well post it! I can't promise regular updates as I am primarily working on a different story at the moment and this is more of a side project I turn to when I need a change of pace. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy!

_The Day of the Air Nomad Genocide (0 AG)_

_Northern Air Temple_

The smell of smoke hung heavy in the air, its acrid stench burning the inside of his nose. Ash fluttered down from the sky, a bastardized snowfall, the gray flakes dirtying the white flurries that had fallen hours before. The air was hot and dry in a place where the wind had always blown cold, the heat swelling oppressively against his skin as sweat dripped down his forehead and neck. Yellow and orange light flickered, reflecting in gray eyes, catching the figures of men and rock alike and casting shadows that moved as if alive. He watched in horror as billowing flame devoured the place he had known as home, the temple in which he was born, and everyone he had loved within it.

_A Year Later (1 AG)_

_Kongqi Village, North of Ba Sing Se_

_Earth Kingdom_

“Joon!” a woman’s voice yelled alongside a series of thumps on a wooden door. “Get up, you lazy lump, the sun’s been in the sky for hours and there are chores to be done!”

Namjoon groaned, rolling onto his side as he pulled his bed covers tight around him. “Ning, just a little bit longer! I’ll do the chores in a bit, promise….” He buried his head in his pillow, content to snuggle deeper into his bedding until a second sharp set of bangs on his bedroom door jolted him out of his dreary state.

“No, Joon, now! I don’t put you up in my spare room so you can sleep in and waste the whole day, now get up and help me draw water before noon!”

Namjoon scrambled hurriedly out of bed. “Alright, alright! Oma and Shu, woman, you're such a slave driver!” Grabbing the first pair of pants he saw, calf-length, dark green and baggy, he pulled them on over his undergarments before throwing on an oversized, rough-stitched brown shirt. Finding his shoes, he began to attempt to shove his feet into them whilst tying his dark brown hair up in a messy bun as he shuffled towards the door, resulting in him tripping right as he was pushing it open and crashing to the floor at the feet of a short, matronly woman with graying hair and crow’s-feet.

She crossed her arms, letting out a heavy sigh as she shook her head. “You know what, go back to bed. If I let you help out around here there won’t be a single thing left unbroken!” She clicked her tongue, still shaking her head, before turning away.

“Aw, c’mon, Ning!” Namjoon called after her as she walked away, “you know you love me!”

Without turning around she waved a dismissive hand. “Yeah, yeah, sure, kid. Just go draw the water; I’ve got an inn to run!” She disappeared around the corner. 

Chuckling slightly, Namjoon pushed himself upright, wincing at the dull pain in his backside from his fall. He gingerly rubbed the area, lower lip sticking out in a slight pout, before straightening up to his full height. From there he stretched, letting out a groan as his joints popped, before running his fingers through his hair and pulling at his bun a bit in attempt to neaten it. Leaning down, he finished properly putting on his shoes before heading out the back door of the inn, grabbing a large wooden bucket along the way. Making his way to the well behind the property, he made quick work of drawing the water, pulling up a full bucket with practiced movements. He walked cautiously back to the inn, careful not to spill any of the water out of the now-heavy pail. Going to a different door than the one he had exited from, he pushed it open to enter the kitchen. 

Finding it empty, he glanced around before calling out, "Ning! I brought the water!"

"Put it on the woodstove to boil, will you?" Though she was still out of sight, the innkeeper's voice replied loudly from the direction of the dining area. "And don't burn my inn down while you're at it!" 

Namjoon scoffed. "Burn the inn down? Me?" he muttered to himself as he poured the water into a fired clay pot and placed it on the stove. Crouching down, he swung the metal door open, checking the fire and adding another log from the stack of wood kept nearby. "How would I burn the inn down? I'm not that clumsy- ouch!" He jerked his hand back from where he had accidentally brushed it again the hot metal at the lip of the oven’s doorframe. Pouting, he grumpily shoved the oven door closed, sticking his burned finger in his mouth as he leaned against the wall, toe tapping against the red tile of the kitchen floor.

The heavy wooden door in the wall adjacent swung open and the innkeeper entered. She tutted as she spotted Namjoon blowing on his finger. "Really, Joon, you burned yourself again? Honestly, I don't know how you're still alive with how clumsy you are." She shooed him away from the stove. "Get out of the kitchen, boy, I don't want your presence somehow making the water burn." 

Sticking his tongue out at her playfully, Namjoon made to leave the kitchen before the innkeeper stopped him. "Oh, I almost forgot, I need you to go into town for a bit to pick up some groceries. The market should be open by now.” She pulled a woven cloth coin purse out of her apron pocket, tossing it to Namjoon. “Pick up the usual things, along with some cabbages if Chang is there today.” She gestured towards the door into the rest of the inn. “The basket is by the entrance way.”

At that moment, Namjoon’s stomach growled loudly. He glanced down at it before looking up at Ning. She stared flatly back at him for a long moment, resting her hands on her hips. Raising an eyebrow, she once again gestured towards the door. “What? Get going!” Namjoon began to make a pleading face, his eyes going wide and innocent at her stubborn expression. With a long-suffering groan, Ning threw her hands in the air. “Fine! You can buy a snack while you’re there! Spirits, what am I to do with you….”

Namjoon’s face split into a wide grin and he bounced forward, wrapping the innkeeper in a hug and lifting her off the ground in his enthusiasm. “Thank you, Ning!”

She swatted at his arms, trying to keep a cross expression on her face through his antics. “Alright, alright, now put me down, boy!” Namjoon finally set her down and she made a show of smoothing out and brushing down her clothes before waving him dismissively out the door. “Go, you rascal! Out of my kitchen!”

Grin still on his face, Namjoon pulled one last risky move by swooping in quickly to kiss the innkeeper’s wrinkled cheek before bolting out of the room, a loud clang sounding behind him as Ning chucked a brass bowl at his retreating form only for it to bounce off the kitchen door as it swung shut behind him instead. “You cheeky little-!” he heard her yell, before she cut herself off, letting out a loud huff audible even through the thick wood of the door.

Chuckling to himself, Namjoon walked through the dining room and the common area, pushing through the swinging doors into the inn’s main entranceway. Spotting the wicker shopping basket on a low table near the door, Namjoon picked it up and slung it over his shoulder. Heading out the front door, he broke into a brisk jog towards town. Glancing up as he jogged, he was greeted with a mostly clear blue sky, a few wispy clouds breaking up the cerulean expanse. With a grin, he sped up his pace a bit.

As Namjoon drew closer to town, passing the first house, he slowed from a jog to a walk. Soon the path from the inn intersected with the town’s main street, bustling with the residents of the village running their morning errands. Namjoon joined the flow of traffic, following the main street down to the outdoor market’s entrance where a steady trickle of shoppers drifted in and out. Even out on the street, he could smell the delicious aroma of the street food stalls and their wares.

Entering the market, Namjoon made a beeline for his favorite food vendor. “Yaozu!” he called out, waving to the dark-haired man behind the counter of a stall displaying many different types of pastries.

The man smiled at Namjoon, the crows’ feet around his eyes belying an age contrasting the rest of his relatively youthful appearance. “Joon, good morning! Doing the shopping for Ning again?”

Namjoon nodded, craning his neck in an attempt to see what pastries might be hiding under the stall’s counter. “Yep, she’s a right slave driver.” He shook his head in mock dismay. “Ah, the things I do for lodging…. But wait! There’s an upside!” He held up a finger for dramatic emphasis before whipping out the coin purse given to him by the old innkeeper, shaking it so the coins inside jangled. “I get to buy a snack!” He leaned his elbows on the stall’s counter, resting his chin on one hand. “So, got anything good today?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

The food vendor laughed brightly at the younger’s antics. “Ning’s really got her hands full with you, doesn’t she?” Yaozu asked, a fond smile on his face. Kneeling down, he began rummaging underneath the counter. “Actually, I’ve got a new recipe you can try out, if you’d like. I got it a while back from a friend of mine who lives in the west and I just recently got around to trying it out.” He stood up, offering Namjoon a paper-wrapped parcel about the size of his hand.

Taking it, Namjoon carefully unwrapped it, his eyes widening as he saw the contents. “Woah!”

Yaozu grinned. “Incredible, right?” Namjoon pulled the pastry completely out of the paper, turning it from side to side to examine it further. “It’s fish-shaped bread with sweet filling,” the food vendor continued. “The name for it in the west is bungeoppang.” He made an encouraging gesture. “Go on, try it!”

Namjoon took a hesitant bite, almost unwilling to ruin the artistry of the bread. Chewing, he made a pleased noise at the taste, giving an anxiously watching Yaozu a thumbs up. Namjoon swallowed, grinning at the baker. “This is delicious! How much?” He pulled the coin purse out again, a rough shake summoning the sound of clinking metal.

Yaozu dismissively waved the money away. “On the house.” Seeing Namjoon about to protest, he quickly cut him off. “Seriously, Joon, no charge! It’s a new recipe so I needed a taste tester in the first place, you’re practically doing me a favor. And say hello to Ning for me, alright? With all the chaos at home I haven’t had time to visit the old bag.”

Namjoon nodded, understanding dawning in his expression. “Oh yeah, your daughter, right? She’s been keeping you busy? How old is she now?” He took another bite of the bread.

The vendor let out a long gust of air. “Three, almost four. I love her to the heavens and back, but Oma and Shu is she a hassle.”

Namjoon tried to say something in response through a mouthful of food, but Yaozu cut him off with a sharp flick to the forehead. “Spirits, you’re nearly as bad as my toddler. Stop lounging around my stall and go get Ning’s shopping done; if you take too long she’ll tan your hide, you know.”

Namjoon hurriedly swallowed the bread down, rubbing his forehead where the older man had flicked it. “Alright, alright, I’m going!” He pushed away from the stall, walking backwards and waving goodbye to the baker. “Bye, Yaozu! Thanks for the bread!” Receiving a wave in return, Namjoon turned away and delved deeper into the market. He moved from stall to stall, his basket slowly filling with purchases of rice, dried spices, and various greens and vegetable roots as his breakfast slowly vanished. He reached the final stop of his shopping trip as he swallowed the last bite of fish bread.

“Chang! It’s your favorite customer~!” Namjoon said in a singsong voice as he sidled up to a stall manned by a wrinkled old man, standing short in stature with his hands behind his back.

“Oh,” Chang said bitterly, squinting up at Namjoon, “it’s you.”

Namjoon placed his hands in a flower-esque shape below his chin, blinking cutely at the old man. “Yep, it’s me!” Dropping his hands, he leaned forward quizzically, “So, you got any…” glancing around, he lifted a hand to guard his mouth as if telling a secret, “cabbages?”

Chang the cabbage merchant glared at Namjoon, his expression unamused. “Of course I do, you hogmonkey. Every time you come here you ask that,” he griped. “What, do you think I’m cursed to have my cabbages destroyed every time I cart them out for sale?”

Namjoon tsk’ed, shaking his head. “Don’t say things like that, Chang, you might accidentally jinx your descendants!”

The old man snorted, commenting sarcastically, “Oh, that’s likely.” He gestured to the cabbages, asking, “How many?” Namjoon held up three fingers and the cabbage merchant packaged up the produce for which Namjoon exchanged several copper coins.

Turning to leave, Namjoon sent a wave and a genuine smile Chang’s way. “It was nice to see you, Chang!”

Sniffing, the old man waved him off dismissively. “Get out of here already, hogmonkey.”

Chuckling to himself, Namjoon left the market, the basket on his back considerably heavier than it had been on his way into town. Heading back down the main street, he turned onto the path he had come in on and began the trek back to the inn. As he walked, a warm summer breeze picked up and he grinned at the feeling of the wind tugging at his hair, causing the strands hanging loose around his face to blow about. Soon the inn was in sight down the path and Namjoon picked up his pace to reach it more quickly. Heading around the side of the building, he entered through the back door into the kitchen where he found Ning stirring a pot of soup on the stove.

The innkeeper looked up as Namjoon entered the room. “Oh, you’re back!” She pulled the spoon out of the pot, tasting the bit of soup left on the wooden utensil. With a nod she set the spoon aside, putting a clay lid over the top of the pot. Turning away from the stove, she gestured for Namjoon to set the basket of groceries down on the wooden table occupying the corner of the kitchen. “Did you find everything alright? What about the cabbages?”

Namjoon nodded, setting the basket down on the table with a thump. “Yeah, I got pretty much everything. Yaozu is trying out a new bread recipe, he says hello. Did you know his daughter is almost four? Chang was there with cabbages, as per usual.” Namjoon clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “Honestly, why don’t you just do the shopping yourself and stop making me flirt with the cabbage merchant for you? Ouch!” Namjoon rubbed the back of his head where the innkeeper had smacked him, sticking his bottom lip out at him in a pout while she ignored his petulance.

“That’s enough from you, mister.” She began sorting through the groceries, humming in approval. Seemingly remembering something, she looked up at Namjoon. “Oh, take that plate of dumplings out, will you?” She gestured to a cloth-covered platter on the counter next to the stove. “There are some guests in the dining area right now, and I need to keep an eye on the soup. And don't drop them!"

"Ning, you really are overdoing it with the clumsy jokes today," Namjoon commented as he picked up the plate of dumplings. "I am not _that_ bad."

Ning snorted, calling after him as he made his way into the dining area, "Yes, Joon, you really are!"

The door swung shut behind Namjoon and he let out an exasperated yet fond sigh. Spotting the guests Ning had spoken of, he began to make his way over to their table. They were two middle-aged women, one a bit heavier than the other, dressed in nice but not overly fancy clothing. As he got nearer, he could hear their conversation. 

"Didn’t you hear? Oh, it's awfully tragic," one of the women was saying, her tone dripping with over-exaggerated pity. 

"Hear what?" the other, heavier woman questioned, morbid curiosity clear in her voice. 

"About the refugees!" the first woman exclaimed. "Don't you remember, a few months back when the Fire Nation attacked the city of Taku? They practically destroyed it, killing thousands and leaving hundreds of people without homes. And to make things worse, barely a week ago they started raiding the refugee settlements!" She tsk'ed sadly, shaking her head. "It's so horrible! How could the Fire Nation do that?"

The other woman let out a shocked gasp. "Oma and Shu, did they really? Oh my, those poor people.... Do you think the Earth King will finally declare war on the Fire Nation because of this?"

The first woman sniffed disdainfully. “Oh, it’s unlikely in my opinion. He’s safe in Ba Sing Se, what need does he have to fight the Fire Nation?” She sighed. “Well, the Avatar will return soon to put things right, and once that happens I’m sure the Earth King will be _happy_ to lend his services.” She rolled her eyes.

“But can things really be fixed?” the other woman asked. “After all, aren’t the airbenders all dea-”

“Excuse me,” Namjoon cut in, leaning between the two women to place the platter of dumplings on the table. His easily playful countenance from earlier in the morning had suddenly evaporated. Pulling back, he gave the pair a forced smile as their attention turned to him. “Is there anything else you ladies need?”

The women exchanged glances before examining what they already had on their table. “Oh, perhaps some boiled eggs?” the heavier woman asked, turning back towards Namjoon.

The same tight smile still on his face, Namjoon nodded. “I’ll let the kitchen know for you.” He walked back towards the kitchen, trying to appear as if he wasn’t desperate to get out of the room, on the verge of flying apart at the seams. Pushing through the door, he spotted the innkeeper still tending the stove and began speaking to her, his words tumbling out in a rush. “Hey Ning, those two out there would like some boiled eggs if you could,” noticing that the stack of firewood by the stove was getting low, he seized the opportunity. “I’m gonna go get some more firewood, okay? Be back in a bit!” He hurried out of the kitchen, ignoring Ning’s concerned call of his name and breaking into a run as soon as the door swung shut behind him.

Sprinting into the trees behind the inn, Namjoon ran deep into the woods, tree trunks rushing past him as he put as much distance between him and the building as possible. With his gaze staring sightlessly at nothing and his mind focused solely on getting as far away as possible, his foot catching on a protruding tree root was the inevitable occurrence that finally put a halt to his mindless flight. Namjoon tripped, his momentum sending him tumbling to the forest floor, loose soil spraying into the air as he crashed into the ground. Stumbling upright from where he had fallen, dirt streaking his clothes, Namjoon sucked in harsh breaths, his chest heaving, as he gazed blankly into space. After a brief moment of eerie stillness, the tension that had been building in him since he had heard the first mention of the Avatar finally reached its breaking point and he lashed out, pivoting on one leg as he slashed the heel of his other foot through empty air. A blade of wind was unleashed into the forest, so violently propelled that it sliced clean through the trunk of a broad, fully grown tree. There was a moment of silence only permeated by the crackling of bark as the upper half of the tree slowly began to tilt. Then it began to fall, its branches and leaves snapping and splintering against the boughs of its neighbors before it toppled to the ground with an earth-shaking crash.

Staring at the destruction, Namjoon slowly sank to the forest floor, curling up into a ball and burying his face in his arms. His shoulders began to shake and eventually he threw his head back, gazing up at the sky through the tree leaves above him, a bitter laugh escaping his lips even as his eyes and cheeks were wet with tears. Flopping back onto the ground, a caustic smile turned up the corners of his mouth. “The Avatar, huh?” He scrubbed away the evidence of his grief with the back of one dirt-specked hand. “What a delusion. The Avatar, taking on the entirety of the Fire Nation…” the hollow amusement in his expression faded away to be replaced by solemnity and worry. “Aang’s just a kid.”

_A Week Earlier_

_Fire Nation Military Encampment_

_Western Earth Kingdom_

A man exited a large, elaborate tent, the flame insignia emblazoned on the fabric of the entryway almost seeming to come to life as the tent flap fluttered shut behind him. The man was short, adorned in the deep reds and blacks of Fire Nation armor, the colors striking against the pale hue of his skin. His ebony hair was tied back in a traditional topknot and his face was set in a stony expression, his golden eyes grim yet determined.

Another man stepped forward to greet him, his less traditional attire consisting of a streamlined uniform of dark browns and burnt oranges, a dao in its sheath strapped to his back and his long black hair tied up in a high ponytail. He stood slightly taller than the armored man and a jagged white scar marred his right cheek near the curve of his jaw, his amber eyes seeming to flicker with a playful light. He grinned at the armored man, whose expression remained stoic even in the face of his associate’s bright smile. “So? What did the general say?”

The other man met his gaze steadfastly. “I’m to lead an attack against a settlement of refugees from the destruction of Taku.”

A look of shock chased away the playfulness in the swordsman’s expression. “What? No way, Yoongi, we can’t-”

“It’s not up to us, Hoseok,” Yoongi cut the other off, his voice deadpan with only a hint of disguised frustration running underneath. “Orders are orders, despite how immoral they may seem. Go round up the troops.”

Letting out a huff of air, Hoseok sent the other man a chagrined look. “You know, Yoongi, I’m all for serving my nation, but this? Attacking unarmed women and children? This might be crossing a line.” He turned away and began heading towards the large clusters of troop housing tents.

Once the other was out of earshot, Yoongi sighed heavily, murmuring under his breath, “Yeah, I know. I’m not happy about it either….” He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as his eyebrows scrunched together in worry. “Damn.” Letting his head fall back, he kept his eyes closed, basking in the feeling of the morning sun on his face and drifting into thought as he slid his hand beneath the shoulder plate of his armor, absentmindedly beginning to work at the tight muscles in his shoulders with one hand. After a few moments, he switched shoulders, teeth worrying at his bottom lip as he tilted his head to the side. The light sound of footsteps and the muffled clattering of cloth-covered metal eventually alerted him to the return of his captain, and he opened his eyes briefly, his gaze flitting over to acknowledge the other man’s presence before he allowed them to slide shut again.

The swordsman’s sharp eyes caught the signs of stress and worry in the other man and the palpable disapproval that remained in his demeanor lessened slightly. “You should get a hot stone massage once we return home,” Hoseok suggested softly.

Yoongi winced as his pressing fingers hit a particularly tight patch of muscle in his shoulder. “Hm. Maybe.” Opening his eyes, he dropped his arm to his side and looked to the other man. “The soldiers?”

Hoseok inclined his head. “Getting ready as we speak.”

“Good.” Yoongi nodded, his expression resolute. “We’ll move out as soon as they’re ready.” He paused momentarily, seeming to think hard for a moment, before continuing, a flicker of uncertainty flashing in his eyes before it was quickly masked. “…hey, Hoseok? You always have my back, right? No matter what?”

Hoseok grinned at the other man and lightly punched him in the shoulder, answering without hesitation, “Of course. Always.” Glancing towards the general’s tent, his grin dropped for a moment before being replaced with a grudging smile. “Even when I disagree with your decisions.”

Taking in a deep breath of air, Yoongi nodded once more. “Alright.” Pushing his shoulders back and straightening his back, he turned to Hoseok once again the confident commander, any uncertainty he was feeling hidden away by the look of determination in his eyes. “Have the soldiers meet me at the north end of the encampment at high noon.”

“At noon?” Hoseok’s eyebrows came together in confusion. “But you just said… midday’s over an hour from now, they’ll be ready in twenty minutes at the most.” At a deadpan look from Yoongi, the swordsman raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, I get it! North side of camp at high noon, yeah, I’ll pass the message along.”

Yoongi smirked slightly at his captain, roughly patting the other man on the shoulder as he walked past him. Turning, Hoseok called after Yoongi’s retreating back. “Where are you going?”

Instead of providing an answer, Yoongi just waved without turning back around, causing Hoseok to drop his head back and groan loudly in frustration. As he began to make his way back to the soldiers’ tents to pass on his commander’s message, Hoseok kicked a stone, sending it skittering across the dirt as he grumbled fondly under his breath, “Always with the mysterious act, Agni, that cocky little….”

Close to an hour later, Yoongi stood at the edge of the ridge marking the northern boundary of the military encampment. Gazing out at the hilly, rock-strewn landscape before him, he heard the tell-tale sounds of his captain’s arrival and turned around to greet the other man.

“So, did your mystery task go well?” Hoseok asked.

Yoongi inclined his head, offering the other man a vague smile. Hoseok let out a sigh of frustration. “Of course. I’m not going to get an explanation, am I?”

Yoongi’s eyes focused on something in the distance behind the swordsman and a momentary flicker of what almost seemed like nervousness flashed across his face before he quickly schooled his expression back into its usual impassive mask. “Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

Hoseok turned around to see a platoon of soldiers approaching, a sight that did not surprise him. What did surprise him was to see them headed up by the camp’s presiding general. Hoseok immediately snapped to attention and Yoongi followed suit. The shorter man stepped forward to greet the general. “General Shi.”

The general regarded him coldly. “Colonel Min.”

Yoongi’s attempt at a welcoming smile didn't reach his eyes. “To what do I owe the pleasure, General?”

The general scoffed. “Oh, I think you know. Can you tell me why,” he beckoned towards the front line of soldiers behind him, calling one soldier forward, “this man, who is in charge of caring for the messenger hawks, just came to me to report that you, Colonel Min, had taken it upon yourself to send an unauthorized message to a recipient whose identity you refused to disclose?”

Yoongi’s eyes flicked to the singled-out soldier before returning to regard the general. He tilted his head to the side, his expression innocent. “Perhaps I was just sending a private letter to my lover back home, is that a crime? Unauthorized use of the messenger hawks by commanding officers is frowned upon, yes, but there is no explicit rule against it.” He shrugged carelessly. “I fail to see how my letter-sending habits warrant a visit from you, General.”

The general sniffed with contempt. “Your ‘letter-sending habits,’ as you put it, warrant a visit from me because you, a well-known critic of Fire Lord Sozin’s vision, were just briefed on sensitive information involving a raid on an Earth Kingdom settlement mere minutes before you sent that secretive letter. If you’ve warned them of our attack….” He stepped forward, rising up to his full height to tower over Yoongi. “Those refugees better still be there when our military arrives. And if they’re not…” reaching down, the general gripped the collar of Yoongi’s armor and pulled him forward threateningly, his eyes narrowed in a glare, “I’ll make sure you’re executed for treason, no matter your standing with the royal family.”

Yoongi smiled disarmingly at the older man, his eyes cold. “Let’s get going then, shall we?”

General Shi sneered down at the younger. “If by some chance those refugees are still there,” the general began spitefully, “we might have to have a discussion about the gender of this alleged ‘lover,’ Colonel Min, especially in light of some of the rumors drifting around about your… preferences. After all, faggotry is illegal now, or haven’t you heard?” he finished gleefully, a vindictive gleam in his eye.

Yoongi tensed up at the general’s words, his expression livid as he glared hatefully up at the older man, the two of them frozen momentarily in a frigid standoff.

Snorting in disgust, General Shi finally released Yoongi with a harsh shove, causing the younger man to stumble back slightly before composing himself and straightening out his armor with a hard look in his eyes. Hoseok glanced at the general before turning to Yoongi, his expression clearly worried and asking the other man for instruction. With a nod and a wave of his hand, Yoongi indicated for the swordsman to sound the signal to move out. His gaze lingering on the other man for a moment, Hoseok swallowed thickly before turning towards the troops. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he bellowed, “Get ready to move out!” Turning back around, he was surprised by the sudden appearance of the general’s finger in his face.

“You.”

Hoseok blinked up at the older man. “Y-yes?”

The general eyed him contemplatively. “You’re a captain, correct?”

Resisting the urge to glance over at Yoongi, Hoseok nodded. “Yes, sir, I am.”

The general nodded, apparently coming to a decision. “Good, that’s good. You keep an eye on him,” a finger was jabbed aggressively in Yoongi’s direction, who continued to look utterly unconcerned, “and if he tries to run at any point, kill him.” A vicious smirk made its way onto General Shi’s face and he leaned in closer to Hoseok, murmuring, “If you make it slow I’ll even talk to the higher ups about getting you a promotion.”

Hoseok jerked back from the other man, shooting a glance at Yoongi to see the other man appearing completely unfazed and apparently inattentive to the conversation occurring in his presence. Looking back at the general, Hoseok took a deep breath and nodded shakily, trying to keep his expression neutral.

With an ambiguous smile, the general patted the captain on the shoulder. “Good man.” Turning away, he shot Yoongi one last glare before moving to head up the platoon of soldiers.

As they marched out of camp, Hoseok slipped up beside Yoongi. Glancing over to make sure General Shi’s attention was elsewhere, he murmured quietly to the shorter man, “Please tell me when we get to the refugee camp they’ll all still be there.”

“Alright,” Yoongi said amicably, his voice low as he kept his gaze ahead, “they’ll all still be there.”

Hoseok stared at him incredulously. “Oh, Agni. You did it, didn’t you? You warned them.”

Yoongi shot the captain a sharp look. “Keep your voice down,” he muttered, glancing over at the general whose attention was still blessedly elsewhere. Looking back at Hoseok, he met the younger man’s eyes briefly before focusing back on the path ahead. “I had to do something,” he murmured, almost as if he was speaking to himself.

Hoseok’s breath hitched in his throat. “Yeah, but you’re going to get yourself killed!” he hissed.

Yoongi shrugged. “Better someone like me than innocent civilians.” Shooting another look over at the general, Yoongi shoved Hoseok’s shoulder, pushing the other away from him. “Now stop talking to me before it catches his attention.”

Hoseok followed the older’s instructions, dropping back slightly while staring at the other man in both disbelief and awe. “He’s insane…” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. He continued to march on in silence, unable to keep his worried gaze from the back of Yoongi’s head. As the column began to near the reported location of the refugee settlement, his anxiety sky-rocketed.

The general held up a hand, halting the platoon’s progress. Turning around, he chose a random soldier from the crowd. “You.” The soldier stepped forward and General Shi gestured down the road towards where the refugee camp supposedly lay, hidden out of sight by a bend in the road. “Go scout it out. I want you to come back here and tell me,” he shot a sharp look at Yoongi, “whether or not those refugees are still there.” The soldier snapped to attention, saluting, before hefting his spear and making his way down the path and around the bend. As he disappeared from view, a ripple of tension seemed to make its way through the rest of the platoon.

After several minutes of long, strained silence, the clang of armor and pounding footsteps could be heard before the soldier emerged back from around the bend. Jogging up to the general, he came to a stop in attention, snapping off a salute. “Sir!”

The general waited a moment before raising an impatient eyebrow. “Well? What did you find?”

“The…” the soldier hesitated, his eyes flicking momentarily over to Yoongi, taking in the colonel’s impassive expression, “the refugees, they’re gone, sir.”

Hushed whispers broke out among the ranks of the soldiers behind him and Hoseok felt his insides go cold with dread. General Shi turned towards Yoongi, his eyes narrowed and expression dangerously neutral. “Colonel Min?” he asked congenially. “Anything to say for yourself?”

Yoongi gave the general a dead-pan look, stoically remaining silent. In response, the general let out a disbelieving scoff. “You impudent little….” He gestured to the soldiers almost nonchalantly, though the infuriated expression on his face betrayed his seething anger. “Seize him.”

The soldiers seemed to hesitate, looking between the irate general and the impassive colonel. At his instructions not being immediately carried out, the general’s fuming temper snapped. “Did you not hear me?! Seize him!” he bellowed, slashing a hand through the air that left fire in its wake.

The soldiers leaped into motion, two jumping forward to tightly grip Yoongi’s arms, though they still looked apprehensive. The general nodded in satisfaction, the completion of his orders soothing his heated temper a bit. “We’re marching on,” he announced to the platoon at large before addressing his next statement to Yoongi himself. “I want to see the evidence of his treachery personally.” Turning to the soldiers restraining Yoongi, he met the colonel’s eyes before he addressed the two. “Don’t bother being gentle with him; he is a traitor after all.” With a sneer, General Shi turned away from Yoongi’s cold stare. The two soldiers gripping the colonel’s arms exchanged nervous glances, shifting anxiously, before seemingly agreeing that tightening their hold on his arms a bit more was a sufficient completion of Shi’s orders.

As the column began to march forward once more, Hoseok watched his friend worriedly. As if sensing his gaze, Yoongi glanced over at the swordsman, giving him a solemn nod before focusing once more on the path ahead, the two soldiers clutching his arms pulling him steadily along.

Rounding the bend in the road, the soldiers finally laid eyes on the remains of the refugee camp. A few campfires, some snuffed out with dirt, others with coals still subtly smoldering, a few stone structures, and a smattering of dropped or forgotten belongings were all that remained of the refugees’ presence. Walking into the remnants of the camp, the general had the soldiers tug Yoongi after him as he surveyed the area. Sniffing disdainfully, General Shi inspected one of the stone structures, pushing at it in an attempt to get it to budge. “Earthbending,” he growled under his breath as the rock remained still, fused with the ground beneath it. Turning back towards Yoongi, he stalked forward, a murderous expression on his face. “Colonel Min,” he said, voice dangerous, “there was at least one earthbender among these refugees. An earthbender we could have eliminated if it hadn’t been for your treachery.” He stepped closer to Yoongi, angrily getting up in his space. “Do you have anything to say for yourself, traitor?”

Yoongi met the general’s furious gaze steadfastly. “Could you get out of my face? Your breath smells like komodo rhino dung.”

It happened so quickly Hoseok almost missed it entirely, the general raising a hand and backhanding Yoongi hard across the face. An ominous hush seemed to fall across the platoon and even the two soldiers holding Yoongi’s arms seemed to stiffen in fearful apprehension. The general, oblivious to all this, blustered on. “You’re a mouthy little shit, aren’t you?” he bit out, his expression livid as he flexed the hand he had hit the colonel with. The younger turned his head to the side, spitting out a mouthful of blood, before turning back to meet the general’s eyes coldly. The two of them stared each other down in a tense standoff for a long moment before the general scoffed, turning away. “I’m going to enjoy watching you get executed,” he said blithely, his back to the younger man. Waving a hand, he began giving orders to the rest of the soldiers. “Search this place, find anything that could tell us where they went. Burn everything else to the ground!” Turning back, he gestured to the soldiers still restraining Yoongi. “Drag him back to camp and lock him up; after all, we can’t have the traitor missing his own execution back in the Fire Nation." As the soldiers began to tug Yoongi away, the general called after him, “You may have saved these refugees, Colonel Min, but no one will save you!” With a self-satisfied scoff, the general strutted off to supervise the troops as they searched the refugee camp.

As he was dragged away, Yoongi met Hoseok’s eyes one last time, giving the captain what he hoped was a reassuring smile. From the expression on the other man’s face, it didn’t seem to have quite the intended effect. Turning away, Yoongi winced as his cheek throbbed where the general’s hand had collided with it. The area was red and certain to bruise, located directly on his cheekbone, and he had a cut on the inside of his mouth where soft flesh had encountered hard enamel. His eyes drifted aimlessly over the scenery as he was pulled along, absentmindedly prodding the cut with his tongue and letting out a soft huff of air at the taste of blood. A slight rustling in the bushes at the edge of the abandoned settlement caught Yoongi’s attention and he glanced over, catching a glimpse of what might have been hazel eyes among the green leaves before whatever it was vanished from sight. His eyes wide with disbelief, Yoongi resisted the urge to twist back around for a second look as the soldiers holding his arms pushed him past the shrubbery. Surely he had been mistaken; after all, no refugees were stupid enough to linger in an area crawling with Fire Nation Army troops… right?

_A Year Earlier, One Month AG_

_Outside Tusha Village, West of Taku_

_Earth Kingdom_

A boy in his late teens stood motionless in the middle of a shallow canyon, his feet planted in the strong stance of a martial arts pose. Suddenly he moved, his stance shifting as he lifted one foot and slammed it to the ground, causing a boulder to rise up out of the rocky canyon floor, leaving a pocket of empty space behind. With a twist of his body he pivoted on one leg and planted the sole of his opposite foot firmly into the boulder, sending it flying into the side of the ravine where it shattered into pieces, taking a good chunk of the rock wall with it. Letting out a satisfied huff of air, the boy relaxed back into a normal standing position, blowing his sweaty bangs out of his face. Shading his vision from the glow of the late summer sun with one hand, he surveyed the sky with olive green eyes. He nodded to himself before straightening up and beginning to stretch out his muscles, joints cracking.

Running his hands through his hair, a pout made its way onto the teen’s face as he felt along the braid that trailed down to the middle of his back, the looseness caused by his workout making itself apparent beneath his fingers. Grumbling quietly to himself, he walked over to an area where the canyon wall provided some shade and kicked his heel into the ground. The rock shifted, a makeshift stone seat shooting out of the side of the ravine in the shape of a ledge. Sitting down, the boy swung the braid over his shoulder and began to undo it. Once his hair was free from the plait, he began to run his fingers through the chestnut strands, doing his best to work out any tangles he encountered. After he was satisfied, he began to re-do his hairstyle, deft fingers weaving the brown locks back into one long braid. Finishing that, he tied it off with a thin strip of cloth and swung the plait back over his shoulder. He stood up and slid his foot to the side, sending the stone seat rumbling back into the ravine wall.

Yawning, the teenager glanced up at the sky again, his eyes tracking the sun’s slow progression closer and closer to the horizon. Humming softly under his breath, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his brown trousers and began the climb out of the canyon. Emerging from the ravine into a copse of trees, the teen leisurely strode through the woods, lacking a well-trodden path but clearly knowing the way to his destination. A few feet ahead of him, a lop-eared rabbit hopped out of the underbrush and into his line of vision. Spotting the creature, the boy’s eyes widened in awe and he froze in place before slowly sinking into a crouch.

“Hey, buddy,” he murmured softly, his voice deep and husky, “how’s it going?” He carefully began to approach the rabbit, making soft clicking sounds with his tongue as he crept closer. The creature perked up, looking in the teen’s direction with its little nose quivering. Freezing momentarily, the boy watched the rabbit carefully. When it appeared the bunny wasn’t going to make a run for it, the teen continued his approach. Inching closer and closer, he began to reach a hand out toward the creature, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible. “Hey, buddy,” he murmured once again, his hand almost near enough to touch the bunny. “You gonna let me pet you?” His fingers brushed the rabbit’s fur and the creature finally spooked, bolting off into the bushes.

Still squatting down, the teen giggled happily to himself. “What a cutie.” Straightening up, he peered through the tree leaves at the sun’s position and he blinked in alarm. “Uh oh, it’s getting late! Mom’ll kill me if I don’t make it home before sundown.” He set off through the trees again, his pace brisker than it had been previously. Soon enough he reached the edge of the woods, emerging from the tree line onto a dirt road. He turned to begin making his way down the path but stopped in his tracks, eyes widening in shock. “What the-”

In the distance, black, unnatural-looking clouds marred the previously clear sky, the bottoms of them lit with a strange, flickering orange light. After a moment of stunned disbelief, the teenager snapped out of his reverie. “Mom… Dad…” he gasped out, before breaking into a run down the dirt road. As he reached the crest of the hill which had previously been obstructing his view of the land below, the teen stopped in his tracks again, this time in horror. Below him his home village of Tusha was ablaze, billowing clouds of dark smoke wafting upwards from the burning buildings. The boy broke into a sprint, unable to keep the terror building within him off his face as he ran past flaming structure after flaming structure. Finally reaching his destination, the teenager burst through the door of one of the houses, disregarding the fire licking at its walls. “Mom?! Dad?!!” he cried out desperately, dashing from room to room frantically. As he entered the kitchen, his expression changed to one of relief, though it was tainted through with worry. “Mom!” He dashed to the side of the woman propped up against the kitchen counter, the brown fabric of her dress stained with the deep crimson tint of blood as she pressed a hand to a wound in her stomach.

She smiled weakly up at the boy from her position on the floor, face streaked with red from a head wound and her lips speckled with it. “Taehyung, my Taehyungie, is that you?” She reached out a towards the boy, her fingers trembling.

Sinking to his knees, the boy grasped her hand, gripping it like a lifeline. “Yes, Mom, it’s me, it’s your Taehyungie.”

The woman let out a relieved sigh, her eyes sliding closed as they filled with tears of happiness. “Thank the spirits, you’re safe.” Opening her eyes, she lifted the hand not being held by her son to cup his cheek. “I was afraid they’d taken you away too.”

“Too?” Taehyung glanced around the kitchen, alarm in his expression. “Mom… Mom, where’s Dad?”

He watched in horror as his mother’s eyes filled with tears, becoming unfocused. Her hand dropped from his cheek, inadvertently leaving a smear of blood behind. “They took him,” she whispered brokenly, gazing into some faraway place, “he tried to fight them but they captured him and took him away.”

Taehyung shifted closer to his mother, clasping her one hand in both of his. “Who, Mom? Who took Dad?”

The woman’s gaze focused back on her son’s face. “The Fire Nation,” she whispered solemnly, “the Fire Nation took your father away.” With a trembling hand she attempted to wipe away the blood she had left on the teen’s cheek, only succeeding in smearing it further. “You need to go,” she murmured urgently, pulling her other hand from her son’s grip to cradle his face between her palms. Staring him determinedly in the eye, she said strongly, “ _Go_. Before they return and take you too.”

Taehyung shook his head stubbornly, his eyes filling with tears. “No. No! I’m not leaving you!”

His mother smiled sadly, tenderly stroking a thumb across her son’s cheek. “It’s too late for me, Taehyungie. Go, and be safe. Go to your grandmother and siblings in Ba Sing Se, you’ll be well taken care of there.” She began to cough, her hands dropping from his face as her body jerked backwards. She pressed a palm back to the wound in her stomach, blood leaking from the corner of her mouth. A tear made its way down her cheek but her eyes were solemn and intense as she pinned her son in her gaze. “Be brave, Taehyungie. Survive, no matter what.” Her face softened and she smiled sadly, her hand rising from her stomach to reach as if to stroke his cheek again before abruptly dropping.

“Mom?” the teen pleaded frantically as his mother’s body went limp. He stared at her bloodied face, searching her dull eyes for the spark of life which he would never find again. “Mom?” he whimpered, his voice utterly broken. When no response came, the boy let out a shattered sob, throwing himself forward to bury his face in the folds of his mother’s dress as he began to bawl. He wailed brokenly, hands fisting in the fabric as the salt water of his tears soaked into it. His grief was cut short, however, as the ceiling above the kitchen let out an ominous crack. Glancing up, cheeks tearstained, Taehyung’s eyes widened at the sight of a large fissure splitting down the center of a wooden support beam. Looking around, the teen finally registered the intense heat in the room as he saw flames licking their way up the walls, quickly spreading through the wooden structure of the house.

Desperately scrubbing the tears from his eyes, Taehyung rushed to heft his mother into his arms, his muscles straining as he stood. The dead weight of her lifeless body rested heavily on his forearms as he carried her bridal style, hurrying out of the kitchen. A large crash caused him to glance back, panic infiltrating his expression as he saw that the ceiling had collapsed, filling the room he had just exited with burning, splintered wood. Picking up the pace as best he could, Taehyung hoisted his mother’s body higher in his arms, sweat dripping down his face as he jogged towards the exit. Flames seemed to snap at his heels as he trembled with exertion, and it was in the nick of time that he stumbled out the front door. The fire roared as it burst from the opening behind him, the whole house ablaze both inside and out.

Taehyung slowly sank to his knees, his mother’s lifeless body still cradled in his arms as he watched the house he had called home burn to the ground. A whiff of burning hair caught his attention and he reached a hand back to touch his braid, his face crumpling as the strands crumbled into black ash beneath his fingertips. Hugging his mother’s body close, the boy’s shoulders began to shake as he wept, tears cutting tracks through the blood and soot encrusted on his cheeks.

_A Year Later (Present Day – 1 AG)_

_Refugee Settlement, Before the Arrival of Fire Nation Troops_

_Western Earth Kingdom_

Taehyung sat within a stone tent-like structure, his legs folded in a crisscross position as his fingers wove a small section of hair into a thin braid. Finishing that, he reached for a strip of dark reddish brown cloth, twisting his unruly chestnut locks up in messy bun and tying it there, the braid nestled against the side of his head as some strands came loose in the back to brush the nape of his neck. A sound behind him caught his attention, and Taehyung turned around to see another, taller teenager stepping through the cloth curtain that served as the structure’s doorway. The other boy had a prominent scar running along the top of his left cheekbone and his hair, a dark chocolate color, hung in long wavy strands around his face. Relaxing, Taehyung grinned at the other teen. “Good morning, Jungkook! What’s up?”

Jungkook jerked his head towards the tent door, gesturing for the shorter teen to follow him. Standing up, Taehyung exited the tent behind the other boy. Outside, a crowd of refugees had gathered, all gazing upwards, shielding their eyes and pointing while an undertone of uncertain whispers rippled through the throng of people. Nudging Taehyung’s shoulder, Jungkook pointed up into the sky as well where a hawk was circling, two long red ribbons trailing behind it. “Fire Nation,” Taehyung hissed out hatefully at the sight of a crest on the bird’s chest, his eyes narrowed in anger.

The hawk stopped its circling suddenly, swooping down from the sky to alight on top of the stone structure Taehyung and Jungkook had just exited. The bird twisted its neck to preen at its back feathers, the Fire Nation emblem centered on its chest harness clear for all to see. The two teens exchanged a glance before the taller shrugged, stepping forward to approach the bird. As he came near enough, Jungkook cautiously reached out to open the wooden tube attached to the hawk’s back, the bird watching him calmly as he pulled out the letter it had come to deliver. Its job complete, the hawk let out a loud shriek, causing several of the refugees to shout out in alarm and stumble backwards, before taking off back into the sky. As others watched the bird begin to soar southwards, Jungkook made his way back over to Taehyung, offering the older boy the scroll of parchment he had retrieved. Unrolling it, Taehyung’s eyes widened in alarm as he scanned its contents. Clearing his throat loudly, he caught the other refugees’ attention as he began to read aloud,

“ _To the Earth Kingdom refugees from the city of Taku: I am an official in the Fire Nation Army. I will not name myself, as this letter may fall into the wrong hands. I am issuing you a warning; the Fire Nation plans to launch a full-scale attack on your settlement, and I implore you to flee the area before their arrival. You have forty-five minutes to an hour, maybe less. I could not stall for more time without arousing suspicion, and even now my superiors may suspect something. You have no reason to believe this message and I have no proof that I can provide you, but I promise you that if you linger where you are you will be killed. I swear on my life and the honor of my ancestors that this warning is real and I beg you to heed it._ ”

There was a moment of shocked silence before things erupted into confused chaos. Taehyung and Jungkook exchanged grim glances before the older began to try and capture the noisy, panicked crowd’s attention. “Hey! HEY!” When his shouts appeared to have no effect, he stomped a foot hard, causing the ground beneath them all to shake as a circle of earth rose up, creating a platform for him to stand on. “HEY!”

Quiet fell as all eyes turned towards the young earthbender who let out a satisfied huff of air. “Alright! So, here’s what we’re going to do,” he began, expression determined. “We’re going to have a brief, calm discussion as to what we should do about this,” he lifted the scroll in the air, shaking it out so the paper unrolled, “and then put that plan into action. So, any suggestions?”

A woman with a baby cradled to her breast shakily raised a hand. “I-” she glanced around at her fellow refugees nervously, “I think we should do what the letter says,” she murmured, dropping her gaze to the ground.

“But what if it’s a trap?” a young boy, aged maybe nine or ten, piped up.

A chorus of worried murmurs broke out among the crowd before a middle-aged, matronly women stepped forward. “I think we’ll have to risk it,” she said gravely, glancing around at the others. “The letter told us not to remain here, but it didn’t tell us where to go. It’s unlikely they would go to the effort to set up an ambush for us; after all, we’re just refugees. They must be aware that most of us cannot fight. It would be much easier for them to wipe us out in one fell sweep with a full-scale attack, like the message warns of.”

“I agree with Meihui.” A thin old man hobbled his way out of the crowd, his walking stick thumping against the dirt. He nodded to the motherly woman before addressing the rest of the refugees. “I think it would be wise of us to go.”

Taehyung crossed his arms. “Alright, so it’s decided then; we’re going. Now the question is, where?” His eyes scanned the crowd. “Any ideas?”

A young girl raised her hand in the air, waving it about as she bounced up and down. “What about Ba Sing Se? The city’s walls will keep us safe, my papa always said so!”

Taehyung hesitated, his mother’s instructions to find his grandmother and siblings in the Earth Kingdom capital flashing through his mind, before shaking his head. “Ba Sing Se would be safe if we could get there, but many refugees are already flooding the city. Correct me if I’m wrong,” he glanced over at the old man, making eye contact before continuing, “but that’s probably where the Fire Nation would expect us to go. Even if we can escape now, they’ll just catch up to us later.”

The elderly man let out a heavy, resigned sigh. “Yes, my boy, you are likely correct. The route to Ba Sing Se won’t be safe for us to travel.”

Fearful whispers broke out among the refugees before the woman with the baby stepped forward again, bottom teeth worrying at her lip as her gaze nervously jumped from person to person. “There’s a t-town, a town to the west of here, near the Makupo Mountains. It’s called Binan Seo, m-my cousin lives there.”

The old man nodded, one wrinkled hand stroking the white goatee sprouting from his chin. “Makupo, hmm? I doubt the Fire Nation would follow us into the mountains, especially as the terrain there is unknown to them; it would be hardly worth the effort as after all, we are just a sorry group of refugees.” He smiled at the woman. “A good suggestion, young one.”

Turning to the rest of the group, Taehyung asked, “Anyone vehemently opposed to the plan?” At the lack of negative response from the crowd, the young earthbender nodded and turned to address the elderly man. “Old Man Shoushan? Do you think you could plot out our course?”

Old Man Shoushan nodded, thumping his walking stick on the ground once. “I don’t see why not, my boy. I was a mapmaker for a bit back in the day, you know!” He smiled reassuringly, missing teeth creating gaps in his weathered smile.

Grinning back, Taehyung shifted to face the rest of the crowd, calling out, “Get ready as fast as you can! We don’t know how much time we have left, so pack the essentials as quickly as possible!” At his words, chaos broke out again but this time in an organized fashion as everyone rushed to gather up their things.

Jumping down from his platform of earth, Taehyung bumped Jungkook’s shoulder with his own. “You too, buddy. Go get packed.” Striding back to his tent, Taehyung pushed through the cloth flap and began packing his meager belongings into a rucksack. Once he was finished, he pulled down the curtain that acted as a door and rolled it up alongside his sleeping roll, securing both to his back. Stepping outside the emptied stone structure, the earthbender then settled into a strong stance, hands cutting through the air in sharp and abrupt movements as he returned the rock slabs into the ground from where they’d come. Turning around, he was greeted by the sight of Jungkook. The younger teen had a bag slung over his shoulder and a knife strapped to his thigh. He gestured over to where a group of refugees was beginning to gather, bundles of their belongings in hand. Taehyung smiled, waving the younger over towards the crowd. “You go ahead, I’ll catch up.”

The younger tilted his head to the side, his eyes asking a clear question as he pierced the earthbender with a suspicious gaze. Taehyung pushed at the other teen’s shoulder, letting out an awkward bark of laughter. “No, I’m not planning on staying behind, what do you think I am, stupid?” At the deadpan stare the younger gave him, Taehyung seemed to deflate. “Alright, fine, maybe I’m staying. _Maybe_.” His cheerful expression morphed into something darker, twisted with anger. “Fire Nation scum…” he muttered under his breath. “I have to know if that message is real or if we’re just being played with, like a cruel game of cat and mouse.” Glancing up at the taller, the earthbender tried to fake a cheerful smile. “You go on ahead, though! I’ll be fine on my own-”

Jungkook cut the older teen off with a shake of his head, crossing his arms. Taehyung’s face seemed to light up even as he struggled to cover it with a disgruntled expression. “Fine. Fine! You can stay too if you want, it’s not like I can stop you.” Glancing around the camp, he noticed that most of the residents seemed to have gathered at the edge of the settlement, ready to depart.

The matronly woman who had spoken up earlier stepped out of the crowd, waving at the two teenagers to catch their attention. “Oi! You kids! We’re about to set out, are you coming or not?”

Grinning, Taehyung waved back. “Head out without us, Meihui! We’ll bring up the rear and cover our tracks!”

The woman nodded. “Alright! Be careful, you two!” Upon her return to the ranks, the group began to travel down the path. Taehyung and Jungkook watched as the refugees made their way out of the settlement, heading up by Old Man Shoushan, who was making good speed for a man of his age and physicality. Soon the group reached a curve in the path and within moments they were out of sight of the campsite.

Taehyung glanced up at the sky, checking the position of the sun. “We have maybe ten minutes until we should hide; until then, go through the camp and erase any evidence there might be of where we’re going.” He looked over at the other teen. “I’ll go get rid of the footprints on the path.” Jungkook nodded and headed back deeper into the settlement, peering into the doorways of the remaining earthbent structures that Taehyung had yet to deconstruct. The older teen walked to the edge of the mess of churned up dust caused by the feet of fifty-some refugees. Sliding a foot forward and settling into a wide-set stance, the earthbender lifted his arms in front of him, his fingers curling like he was attempting to grab something. The dirt followed his movement, rising off the ground all along the path. As he dropped his hands suddenly, fingers splayed and palms towards the earth, the dirt fell back into place, its surface showing no indication that a multitude of feet had made their way across it.

Satisfied with his handiwork, Taehyung straightened up and turned back towards the camp. As he walked back into the settlement he was joined by Jungkook, who gave him an affirmative nod. Taehyung grinned in satisfaction. “All good on your end, too? Great.” He glanced around the camp. “We should probably find a place to hide now.” The younger teen tapped the earthbender on the shoulder, gesturing for the older to follow. He led the way over to a patch of shrubbery near the south side of camp, the bushes large and leafy enough to conceal two people effectively. Taehyung smiled widely, throwing an arm around the taller teen’s shoulders. “Jungkookie, this is perfect!” His smile turned slightly sinister. “Let’s lie in wait for those scumbags.” He started forward to climb into the bushes but was stopped by a hand gripping his elbow. Turning around, he raised an eyebrow at the younger teen. “What is it?”

Jungkook met Taehyung’s gaze steadfastly, his expression serious. He opened his mouth as if about to speak and the older blinked in surprise. “No fighting,” Jungkook said, his voice quiet and slightly rough from disuse.

Taehyung’s eyebrows came together in confusion. “But they’re Fire Nation-”

The younger cut him off with a shake of his head. “No. Fighting.” he reiterated firmly.

Taehyung searched Jungkook’s face for any trace of uncertainty. Finding none, he let out a disappointed sigh. “Fine. No fighting.”

Relief crossed the younger’s face and he released the older’s elbow, lifting a hand with his pinkie finger extended instead.

Taehyung gave the younger a fondly exasperated look. “Yeah, yeah, I promise,” he said, hurriedly linking his pinkie with the other’s, securing the promise by pressing their thumbs together. “Now let’s hurry up and get in the bushes before the Fire Nation gets here!” Pushing Jungkook into the shrubbery, Taehyung followed him, both of them crouching down so the leaves concealed them from view. Settling down, they prepared themselves to wait for the Fire Nation’s arrival.

They did not have to wait for long, as soon enough the far-off sounds of feet marching in unison began to echo down the path. Suddenly the noise came to a stop and the two teenagers exchanged confused glances. After a moment of silence, the slight clank of armor alerted them to the presence of a single man, a spear in hand as he made his way around the bend. The signature dark reds and blacks of the man’s armor made him easily identifiable as a Fire Nation soldier. Taehyung growled angrily under his breath at the sight, his hands curling into fists. A slight touch on his arm made him glance over at Jungkook, the younger giving him a brief shake of his head. It took some effort but Taehyung managed to relax his hands out of their curled position, calming down slightly though his rage still simmered under the surface. The two teens watched as the soldier ran into the deserted settlement, taking a brief glance around as if to confirm its emptiness, before jogging back down the path.

After a few moments, the sound of the soldier’s clanking armor had faded from earshot, when suddenly something that sounded like an angry shout echoed down the path to where Taehyung and Jungkook were hidden. Exchanged a concerned look, the two focused their attention back on the road. Soon enough the sound of marching feet began again, coming closer and closer to the camp. As the soldiers finally rounded the corner, Taehyung had to smother a shocked gasp at their numbers. His eyes scanned over the platoon, noting the appearance of what appeared to be two commanding officers, one an older man with a long, dress-like robe under his armor and the other younger, with a sword strapped to his back and close-fitting, dark brown garments. The earthbender’s eyebrows came together in confusion, however, when he spotted a third man who also appeared to be some sort of officer, pale-skinned and rather short, being restrained by two regularly garbed soldiers.

The platoon made their way into the refugee settlement, the older commanding officer seemingly having the shorter dragged after him as he surveyed the camp. He seemed to grow angry after examining some of the earthbent structures left standing, aggressively getting up in the smaller man’s face. Though the two teenagers were too far off to hear what was being said, the short man seemed to respond calmly to the older officer’s furious tirade, despite the fact that he was being restrained. This apparently enraged the older man even further, as he struck the smaller man hard across the face. Taehyung and Jungkook shared a brief look of stunned disbelief, turning back in time to see the man who had been hit spit a glob of blood into the dirt. Tensions among the Fire Nation troops seemed to rise as the two commanding officers stared each other down. Eventually the older seemed to scoff and turn away, before bellowing out orders that were finally loud enough for the two teenagers hidden in the brush to hear. “Search this place, find anything that could tell us where they went. Burn everything else to the ground!”

The teens exchanged a satisfied smirk, knowing that they’d cleared the area of anything that could give away the refugees’ destination. They watched as the older officer turned back towards the shorter man, saying something they couldn’t quite make out. But it was as the soldiers began to drag the smaller officer back towards where the two were hidden that the older man called out something they could hear, “You may have saved these refugees, Colonel Min, but no one will save you!”

Taehyung’s jaw dropped in shock and he shifted backwards, causing the bush’s leaves to rustle slightly. Jungkook shot him an alarmed look before carefully peering out through the branches to make sure the noise had gone unnoticed. As he peeked out through the leaves, his gaze fell on the man who had supposedly saved the lives of all the refugees within the camp. As hazel irises made contact with gold, Jungkook’s eyes widened in surprise and he quickly moved backwards, shielding himself from view. After a moment, when it appeared no alarm had been raised, the younger teen peered back out through the leaves. Seeing that the coast was clear, Jungkook reached out to tap the back of Taehyung’s hand, signaling to the other that it was time for them to go. The older nodded, slowly beginning to back out of the bush, intending to make a dash for a nearby copse of trees. As he crept backwards, Taehyung’s foot came down on a rigid stick, which broke with a loud snap. Freezing in place, Taehyung shot a fearful look Jungkook’s way, the other meeting his gaze. They both began praying internally for the sound to have gone unnoticed, a prayer that seemingly went unheard as the clanking armor and alternating footsteps of two Fire Nation soldiers approached their hiding place.

“You heard that too, right?” one of the soldiers was saying.

“I did,” the other responded. “It came from over here, I’m pretty sure.”

“It could just be an animal,” the first soldier suggested.

A jangle of metal as the second soldier shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. If we catch a refugee after this whole clusterfuck of an operation, we could get a promotion, especially with Colonel Min out of the picture.”

A bark of harsh laughter met the soldier’s matter-of-fact statement. “Well, there’s one way to find out then, isn’t there?” the first soldier said, a sadistic humor to his tone.

Suddenly a burst of fire ripped through the bush right near Jungkook, grazing the teen’s left forearm. The boy pushed himself backwards away from the burning hole as he clamped a hand over his sleeve to put out the smoldering cloth, his teeth gritted against the pain.

Taehyung’s fingers dug unnaturally deep into the earth by his feet as he resisted the urge to rush to the younger teen’s aid, his jaw clenched in anger at being unable to act without revealing himself to the soldiers.

“Huh,” the bender who sent a fireball into the shrubbery said, his tone nonchalant. Taehyung’s nostrils flared in rage, his eyes fixed on the pained expression on his younger companion’s face.

“So, just an animal then?” The second soldier questioned, disappointment clear in his voice.

A clank of metal as the first soldier shrugged. “Should I try one more, just for good measure?”

The second soldier snorted. “Sure, why not.”

Taehyung squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for another burst of flame to rip the bush apart, when a drawling voice interrupted the soldiers’ plan. “What are you two doing?”

Two clangs of metal as the soldiers snapped to attention. “C-Captain!” the soldier who had set fire to the bush stammered out. “We- we were just-”

The second soldier cut the other off. “We heard a noise in the bushes over here and came over to investigate.”

“And what did you find?” the supposed captain asked. Taehyung decided to take a risk, glancing out between the branches to see the two soldiers, backs to the shrubbery, and the young officer who carried a sword.

The two soldiers exchanged a glance, the first one to have spoken finally answering. “N-nothing, sir.”

The captain surveyed the two flatly. “What are you still doing here, then? Are you planning to start a forest fire by bending at random shrubbery?” He scoffed, waving them off dismissively. “Get back to searching the camp.”

“Sir!” the two barked in unison, saluting before hurrying back into the settlement.

The captain began to turn towards the bush and Taehyung quickly ducked out of sight once more, shooting Jungkook a concerned look. The younger teen offered the older a wan smile in return, clearly still in pain but doing his best to tamp it down. The two were taken by surprise as the hushed voice of the Fire Nation captain seemed to suddenly address them directly.

“I could just be talking to a fucking bush right now,” he began, “but if there are in fact some idiotic refugees still hiding here, you’d better get out, and fast. My moron of a best friend didn’t put his life on the line so you could get yourselves killed.” The captain let out a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers before straightening up and striding away from the bush, leaving two stunned Earth Kingdom refugees behind.

Breaking out of his shock, Taehyung signaled to Jungkook to catch the younger’s attention. “ _Can you move?_ ” he mouthed silently, gesturing towards the trees behind the brush to indicate their destination. The younger teen nodded stoically, his expression determined. Peering out through the bush’s branches, Taehyung checked to make sure the coast was clear. Confirming that it was, he held up three fingers, slowly dropping each one. When he reached zero, both teenagers slid out from under the bushes, keeping low to the ground as they dashed into the woods. They ran for a bit, being as quiet as they possibly could, until they felt they were far enough from the settlement to be relatively safe.

Beckoning for Jungkook to stop, Taehyung cocked his head to the side, hearing the sound of running water in the distance. Gesturing to the younger teen, the earthbender began to lead them in the direction the sound was coming from. Soon enough they encountered its source, a bubbling stream running through the forest. Crouching down on the bank, Taehyung reached out to take Jungkook’s hand. “Here,” he said, pulling the younger’s burned arm towards the stream, “if you immerse it in cold water it will ease the pain.”

The younger teen flinched as the water touched the burn, but relief quickly spread across his face and he plunged his other hand into the brook as well, soaking the reddened skin of his slightly singed palm in the cool water.

Smiling softly, Taehyung turned away from Jungkook, his eyes searching the banks of the stream. Spotting a spiky, many-leaved plant with yellow flowers blooming from it, he made his way over to it. Plucking a few of the tough leaves, he headed back over to Jungkook, sitting down next to the younger teen. Reaching around the other, he pulled the knife from its sheath on Jungkook’s thigh, the younger shifting slightly to give Taehyung easier access while also keeping his burns immersed in the stream. Knife in hand, Taehyung began to slice up the flat plant leaves he had, removing the skin and jagged edges from each of them. After that he ripped a long piece of fabric from the bottom of his tunic, soaking it in the brook before laying it out on a rock. Crushing the skinned leaves into a pulp with a stone from the riverbank, the earthbender spread the goop onto the wet fabric.

Signaling for Jungkook to pull his burned appendages from the water, Taehyung carefully inspected the injuries. “Your palm is fine, it’s a really minor burn. Your arm though…” He grimaced. “It’s definitely worse, and I’m not a healer so I can’t properly treat it, but I’ll do what I can.” Reaching for the cloth he had prepared, the earthbender carefully began to loop it around the younger teen’s arm, making sure the crushed plant matter lay directly over the burn. Finishing the wrapping, the older teen tied the strip of cloth tightly. Jungkook let out a pained hiss and Taehyung sent him an apologetic look, pulling his hands back from the injured area.

As the older turned away, Jungkook caught his hand in a soft grip. Taehyung froze as the younger teen squeezed his hand gently. “Thank you,” Jungkook murmured quietly, his voice almost tender.

Taehyung swallowed thickly, squeezing the younger’s hand back before releasing it and rising to his feet. “We should get going.”

Jungkook stood as well, picking his knife up from where the older had left it on a rock and tucking it back into its sheath. He reached out to tap Taehyung’s shoulder, the older turning towards him. “The colonel?” he asked softly.

Confusion filled Taehyung’s eyes momentarily before comprehension took its place. He shook his head. “No, I don’t think we should go back to try and help him.” The earthbender worried at his bottom lip with his teeth. “Don’t get me wrong, I want to; we owe him our lives after all, even if he is Fire Nation. But I doubt we would succeed if we did try, and right now it’s more important for us to follow the rest of the group and hide our tracks from the Fire Nation soldiers.” The corner of his mouth quirked up in a half-hearted smile. “That captain guy also seemed like a decent friend, so we’re not the colonel’s only hope.”

Jungkook nodded, hefting his knapsack higher on his shoulder. He inclined his head deeper into the forest and Taehyung grinned back, nudging the younger’s elbow with his own. “Yeah, let’s get going.” Together, they set off through the trees, the camp they had left behind going up in flames as a small brook gurgled happily across smooth stones.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment, I really enjoy reading them! You can also find me @/mint-chapstick on tumblr. Thanks!


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